Jamaica Club Stirs Up Trouble Over Liquor License

Many Object. 

Protest has been filed with Commissioner. 

Excitement in Jamaica Plain over Club License.

Strenuous Efforts made to Prevent Issue.

Rev C. A. Shatto Preaches on the Subject.

It Would Be, He Says, a Peril to the Younger Members.

Courtesy Boston Public Library

The application of the Jamaica Club, the leading social club of Jamaica Plain, for a club license to sell liquor has caused excitement in that section among the temperance organizations and churches

A protest has already been sent to the police commissioners by the local W.C.T.U. The ministers have also taken up the matter, and are making strenuous efforts to prevent the granting of the license.

Yesterday morning and evening the following petition was circulated in the various churches, and a large number of signatures obtained:

“To the Honorable Board of Police Commissioners”

“Gentlemen – The undersigned citizens of Jamaica Plain, believing that the sale of intoxicating liquors at the Jamaica clubhouse, even under the most careful restrictions, would imperil the best moral interests of our community, would respectfully ask that the application for such license now before you be not granted.”

A similar petition has been circulated about the district for the general public to sign.

The ministers of the various churches made brief reference to the matter yesterday.

At the First Methodist Church, corner Elm and Newbern sts, the pastor, C.A. Shatto, preached in the evening on “What a Licensed Club in Jamaica Plain Means.”

“There are several reasons why this license should not be granted,” said he.

“First – The licensing of the Jamaica club to sell intoxicants is an injustice to all property owners in the vicinity, and, by the way, I understand that a vigorous protest is being made by these property owners.

“Second – It means a lowering of the moral standing the club has maintained before the society.

“As many of you know, the club was formed by many of the solid business men of the section to provide a place for the young men to go and enjoy sociability, where they could be away from temptations of public saloons and billiard and pool rooms. A strong moral influence has always been thrown around the club, and the community has consequently looked up to it. By the proposed change this high standing it has enjoyed in the past will be lost.

“Third – It will be a bad precedent for this section, and is a discrimination against the poor man. We have just gone through a hard struggle to keep the saloons out of the residential portions of the city. Dorchester and Brighton have also made this fight. It would not be consistent for us, after this fight we have waged against the locating of saloons in our district, to allow the granting of this club license to the Jamaica club without protesting against it. It would be manifestly unfair for us to say to the poor man that he could not have a saloon in Jamaica Plain, and yet say nothing against the licensing of the Jamaica club, because it is composed of the comparatively wealthy class. There is a second discrimination when some poor liquor dealer has to pay a big license fee while this club would only be obliged to pay an amount which is really nothing in comparison with it.

“Again, it would mean the forming of a great many other clubs solely for the purpose of getting a club license.

“It is directly against the residential policy in regard to the liquor question of Gov Wolcott and Gen Martin.

“Fourth – Had it a majority membership composed of men of the age of discretion, who would not allow excesses, it might be different. But it is the younger element who will not frown on excesses that are supporting the scheme on the ground that it will help the finances of the club, and more of these young men will come in.

Fifth – It will be a peril to the younger members of the community. It is a bid for members to pay the club’s bills, which is a low moral standing for the club to take. 

“No member of the Jamaica club can truthfully say that its obtaining a license to sell intoxicating liquors is a private matter with which the citizens of this community has nothing to do.

“No parent who has a home in this community can for a moment think that this matter does not concern him. No man who loves his city and stands for good citizenship can ignore the evil of such a course upon the voters of this city and commonwealth. 

“Whether you are a temperance man or not, if you are true to your trust you will protest against this new peril to our community.”

The Jamaica Club, which is the cause of all the trouble, is composed of from 150 to 200 of the leading men of Jamaica Plain. Among its members are many who have made reputations in business and political life. A few years ago its president was Hon Charles F. Sprague, congressman-elect from the 11th district. J. Albert  Brackett, a prominent young Boston lawyer, chairman of the board of trustees of Mt Hope cemetery, is its present president. 

The club has been a prominent feature in the social life of the section. For a number of years its annual minstrel show was the event of the season. It is a leading member in the suburban interclub league and has teams contesting in the winter tournament in whist, pool, billiards and bowling. 

In speaking yesterday in regard to the matter a prominent member of the Jamaica club stated that the people who were complaining about the granting of a club license to the club were greatly mistaken as to the real purpose of the members.

“It is the impression,” said he, “among the W.C.T.U. and the ministers that we intend to keep a regular club bar, but such is not the case.

“Our intention is simply to have the malt liquors, so that members or their friends may have something to drink if they so desire.

“Often when the visiting team in the various tournaments are here we have felt as though we would like to be able to treat them to beer or ale if they wish at the supper during the evening. 

“The members of the club are men of standing in the community and know how to behave themselves. It is an outrage that the stories about the keeping of a bar have been circulated, for they are altogether false. The women have got excited over this matter before they knew what the club intended to do.

“I have no fear about the matter and hope the club will obtain the license it seeks.”

This article first appeared in The Boston Globe on Monday, January 4, 1897

Thanks to Jenny Nathans for finding and transcribing this article in May 2020.